Embark on a culinary journey to the vibrant shores of Spain with our guide to crafting the ultimate Spanish chicken and mussel paella. This delectable dish, originating from the sun-kissed region of Valencia, captivates taste buds with its harmonious blend of succulent chicken, plump mussels, aromatic saffron, and a symphony of colorful vegetables, all nestled within a golden crust of rice. Join us as we unveil the secrets to preparing this iconic dish, ensuring a flavorful and memorable dining experience that will transport you to the heart of Spain's culinary heritage.
Here are our top 4 tried and tested recipes!
SPANISH PAELLA (WITH CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD)
A wonderful Spanish Paella that's very easy to make and the presentation is great as well. You'll need a very large skillet or a paella pan. The clams are optional, but I would recommend using them.
Provided by Just Call Me Martha
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 57m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Heat 3 tbsp oil in large skillet on medium high heat.
- Add chicken pieces and fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden.
- Remove from skillet and season with salt and pepper.
- Add onions and peppers to skillet.
- Sauté 2 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, paprika and thyme.
- Sauté 1 minute and add shrimp.
- Sauté until shrimp turn pink.
- Add 1 Tbsp oil if needed.
- Sprinkle rice into pan.
- Sauté, stirring frequently 2 to 3 minutes or until coated with oil.
- Stir in tomatoes.
- Season well.
- Combine stock and saffron and stir into rice mixture.
- Bring to boil.
- Boil for about 2 minutes, reduce heat to medium.
- Return chicken and push down into rice.
- Cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Stock should be bubbling.
- Stir rice around and add shrimp, lima beans, red peppers and clams.
- Cook for 10 minutes longer.
- Remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes.
- To serve, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon wedges and green onions.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 607.5, Fat 18.4, SaturatedFat 3.9, Cholesterol 193.6, Sodium 1314.3, Carbohydrate 65.5, Fiber 5, Sugar 3, Protein 42
PAELLA I
A very traditional paella, garnished with chorizo, chicken, peas, squid, mussels, and shrimp. Chorizo is a sausage spiced with garlic and chili powder; remove casing before cooking. A paella pan is recommended.
Provided by Christine
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Spanish
Time 1h30m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Heat olive oil in paella pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and pepper; cook and stir for a few minutes. Add chorizo sausage, diced chicken, and rice; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 3 1/2 cups stock, wine, thyme leaves, and saffron. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 15 minutes; stir occasionally.
- Taste the rice, and check to see if it is cooked. If the rice is uncooked, stir in 1/2 cup more stock. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally. Stir in additional stock if necessary: use up to 2 cups additional stock, 5 cups total. Cook until rice is done.
- Stir in squid, tomatoes, and peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Arrange prawns and mussels on top. Cover with foil, and leave for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the foil, and scatter parsley over the food. Serve in paella pan, garnished with lemon wedges.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 524.1 calories, Carbohydrate 56.6 g, Cholesterol 106 mg, Fat 18.2 g, Fiber 3.3 g, Protein 28.8 g, SaturatedFat 4.3 g, Sodium 1162.2 mg, Sugar 4.8 g
SPANISH CHICKEN, SPICY SAUSAGE AND SEAFOOD PAELLA (DIABETIC)
There are many different versions of this popular Spanish dish. If desired, substitute the same weight of firm white fish for the mussels. Traditionally, saffron is used to color and flavor this dish. Turmeric is much cheaper but does not taste the same. Saffron is usually available in the spice section of the supermarket and you need only add a pinch in place of the turmeric for the authentic flavor.
Provided by Olha7397
Categories Chicken
Time 55m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Heat the oil in a large wok or paella pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bell peppers and chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Stir in the sausage, tomatoes, rice, saffron or turmeric and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir the paella and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes.
- Add the shrimp, mussels and parsley, bring back to a boil, simmer uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes or until the mussels open, the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Discard any mussels that do not open. Serve immediately with crusty bread and a crisp green salad. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
- The Everyday Diabetes Cookbook.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 409.3, Fat 18.8, SaturatedFat 5.6, Cholesterol 100.9, Sodium 789.2, Carbohydrate 33.1, Fiber 3.1, Sugar 4.7, Protein 26.3
CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD PAELLA
Paella is a traditional Spanish dish that teaches you how to slow cook and build deep flavors into a meal-and it's something you need to try at least once in your life.
Provided by Seamus Mullen
Categories main-dish
Time 3h
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 30
Steps:
- (Note: Lobster Stock recipe not shown in video. Make Lobster Stock before commencing with the rest of the paella, or substitute chicken stock.) Lobster Stock: Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a rolling boil; cook lobsters, 5 minutes. Remove lobsters, reserving water. When cool enough to handle, remove the tails and claws, keeping shells intact, and set aside for the paella. Place lobster bodies on a sturdy surface, belly side up. Cut in half, then quarters, keeping shells intact.In a medium stockpot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and sauté lobster body pieces, 5-7 minutes. Add tomato paste, stirring to thoroughly coat the lobster. Deglaze the pan with brandy and cook off the alcohol, about 1 minute; then add onion, carrots, tomato, fennel, and garlic and continue sautéing, 3-5 minutes. Add 6 cups of the reserved lobster water, stir to combine, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 2-3 hours. Strain stock into a large bowl, discarding lobster pieces and vegetables. Remove 1 cup of the stock; steep a pinch of saffron threads in the hot liquid for 3-4 minutes, then return the saffron-infused broth to the stock. Reserve Lobster Stock for paella. Sofrito: Dice onions and bell pepper (pieces should be the same size); set aside in separate bowls. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Grate over a bowl flesh-side down and discard tomato skin. Smash garlic cloves and roughly chop; use the back of the knife to crush the garlic, then continue to chop to a rough paste. Set aside. Discard stem and seeds of soaked chile; use a knife gently scrape the flesh from the skin of the pepper. Discard the skin and set flesh aside in a small bowl.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, then 1 more tablespoon olive oil. Stir and sweat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the bell peppers and chile to the onions; then add the grated tomato and season with salt and pepper. Stir, then add garlic and vinegar. Stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer Sofrito uncovered, stirring occasionally until reduced by two-thirds, about 2 hours. Makes 2 cups Sofrito. (Note: Freeze leftovers in small portions to defrost and use as needed. Even for a quick rice or pasta dish, a bit of this will make all the difference in flavor.)
- Paella: Discard outer casing from chorizo, then dice and set aside. Prepare lobster pieces by cutting across the tail in 2-inch medallions, leaving shells intact. Use the back of a knife to crack the claws. Set lobster aside. Place shrimp and chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a paella pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat until smoking, 1 minute. Lay chicken pieces skin-side down, then the shrimp, in an even layer to sear. After 30 seconds, turn shrimp, cook 30 more seconds, then remove and set aside. (Shrimp will be lightly seared, not fully cooked.)Continue cooking chicken until the skin is golden brown, 2 minutes; to maintain even heat, use the handles to turn the pan as the chicken cooks. Turn chicken over and add chorizo. Add 1 cup Lobster Stock; it should sizzle and steam when it hits the hot pan. Add 1 cup Sofrito and gently stir to combine and return to active simmer, about 30 seconds.
- When paella is at an active simmer, add rice, distributing evenly in the pan. (Note: An active simmer is important; it helps the rice release its starch, giving paella the proper consistency.) Add another 1½ cups stock; gently stir, and season with a pinch or two of salt. Let simmer, turning the pan as necessary so the heat is evenly distributed. Lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking the paella, adding ½ cup of stock at a time as it absorbs, about 20 minutes.
- Flip the chicken pieces, adding stock to the parts of the pan that look drier. As the paella cooks and the dish firms up, the rice will begin to change from translucent to opaque. Stir gently to allow a bit of socarrat (the crispy bottom that is the prized part of paella) to begin to form on the bottom.
- When the rice has nearly finished cooking (about 25 minutes total), bury the clams into the paella, followed by the mussels. Then layer the shrimp on top. Raise the heat to medium-high.
- Add lobster tail and claw pieces to the pan. Flip the shrimp to let them cook completely through. Check that the chicken is cooked through: Cut into a piece and check that the color is rosy, but not deep pink. Taste the paella for seasoning and add a pinch more salt, if necessary. Finish the paella with a final drizzle of olive oil. Remove the paella pan from the heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. (Note: Discard any clams or mussels that have not opened.)
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: Fresh seafood, flavorful chicken, and bomba or Valencia rice are essential for a great paella.
- Cook the rice properly: Bomba or Valencia rice is the traditional choice for paella, and it should be cooked in a thin layer of liquid so that it can absorb all the flavors.
- Don't stir the rice too much: Stirring the rice too much can break it up and make it mushy. Instead, gently shake the pan from side to side to distribute the rice evenly.
- Let the paella rest before serving: This will allow the flavors to meld and the rice to absorb all the juices.
Conclusion:
Spanish chicken and mussel paella is a delicious and festive dish that is perfect for a special occasion. With its vibrant colors and complex flavors, it is sure to impress your guests. So next time you're looking for a new recipe to try, give this paella a try.
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